TT 550 
.P93 



Copy 1 



ow to Make Over 



Old Dresses. 




BY 

Augusta Prescott. 



CONTAINS 



Full Directions for 

Dyeing and Washing 

Dress Goods, and 

Re-making in the 

Latest Styles. 



Published by 
THE HOME BOOK COMPANY, 

Box 3629, 
NEW YORK. 



How TO Make Over 



OLD DRESSES. 



BY. 



AUGUSTA TRESCOTT, 

Woman Editor ''''Frank Leslie s Illustrated Newspaper. 

For titer ly Woniaji Editor o/ the ''''IVorld^^ Nezu York, 






Price, Twenty-Five Cents 






NEW YORK: 

THE HOME BOOK COMPANY, 

Box 3629. 



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Copyright, 1892, 

BY 

AUGUSTA PRESCOTT. 

\_All Pdghts Reserved.^ 



X 



BURR PRINTING HOUSE, MEW YORK, 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER. PAGE. 

I. To Begin With 5 

n. Ripping 7 

III. Washing Goops 10 

IV. Taking Out Spots 17 

V. Dyeing 20 

VI. How Much Material ,. 24 

VII. Get a Good Pattern 27 

VIII. How TO Make Your Dress 29 

IX. Fitting a Dress 32 

X. Waists 36 

XL Trimmings 37 

XII. A Chapter ON Sleeves 40 

XIII. Making the Collar 41 

XIV. Combining Two Old Dresses. 43 

XV. Letting Down Dresses 45 

XVI. WoRN-OuT Dresses 47 

XVII. Taking Care of Dresses 49 

XVIII. Clever Ways OF Doing Things 50 

XIX. Hints and Helps 52 

XX. When the Dress is Done 53 



A Suggestion 4 



A SUGGESTION. 

If you^ find this little book useful, why not 
send for a few extra copies for your friends or 
those in whom you may be interested ? The 
books are not expensive (twenty-five cents each, 
five copies for a dollar), and they w^ould, no 
doubt, be very acceptable. No charge for 
postage. 

If you send, kindly state that it is a " second 
order." 

The Home Book Company. 

Box 3629, New York. 



Chapter I. 
TO BEGIN WITH. 

It is not the most cheerful thing in the world 
to look over a wardrobe full of old dresses, and 
to decide how they can be made over so as to 
do duty for another season. 

There are those that are so torn and worn that 
it seems impossible to do anything with them. 
There are others so soiled that they must be, 
either cleaned or dyed, and still others that seem 
hopeless cases, because they are so cut up into 
ruffles and trimmings, that to make them over 
in anything like the present style is discourag- 
ing from the very thought of the managing and 
the piecing that must be done. 

Yet one must take hold of the matter boldly 
and look the situation right in the face. And 
the capable home mother does not allow herself 
to be daunted, even though her stock in trade is 
very limited. It may be taken, as a rule, that 
each one of the family requires a new dress at 
the beginning of each season. 

Grown up Susie is beginning to go out a little 
in company, and she wants to make as good an 
appearance as possible. Kitty wears long dresses 



b nO-\V TO MARK OVER OLD DRESSES. 

now, and last summer's gown, which was abov3 
her shoe-tops, must be made over this year. 
Then there are the other girls, all the way down 
to the little five-year-old, who needs something 
new. And to supply all these growing demands 
is the care and the duty of the mother of the 
family. 

The first rule that can be laid down is to re- 
gard all things as possible. Each old gown, 
however soiled or ragged, has certain possibili- 
ties connected with it. And with any stock at 
all, no woman need feel that it is going to be 
out of the question to dress her family comfort- 
ably and nicely, for another season, without 
buying anything new. 

Gather then together all the old gowns, and, 
reading the following pages carefully, decide 
what can be done with them. 



Chapter II. 

RIPPING. 

The first thing to be done is to rip up the old 
dresses. This is, probably, the most unpleasant 
part of all the work. The material is dusty, of 
course, and the folds are full of dirt. There are 
tears and cuts in the folds that make ripping 
difficult, and yet all must be done as carefully 
as though one were handling new and dainty 
goods. 

Take one dress at a time. Never try to do 
more than this, unless there is a large home 
force at work. It is difficult enough to recon- 
struct one old dress into prettiness, without hav- 
ing tlie confusion of other materials around. 

Select the dress that seems best worthy of 
attention, and go to work upon it. 

Rip the waist first, because it is most impor- 
tant that this should be carefully done ; and, if 
one leaves it to the last, there is danger of get- 
ting out of patience and slighting it. The best 
thing for ripping is a very sharp knife. Have 
the knife ground to a very fine edge, and then, 
pinning one side of the goods to the knee, hold 
the other firmly apart, and cut each stitch as 



8 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DKESSES. 

carefully as though you were just sewing the 
dress instead of ripping it. 

Around the armholes, the neck, and the under- 
arm seams, be particularly careful that you do 
not stretch the goods, as when this is done all 
hope of ever using the goods again is destroyed. 
It is tedious work, this slow ripping, but it is 
work that well repays the one that does it care- 
fully. Stitch by stitch the sharp cutting should 
go on, with never a jerk and never a tear to fret 
the goods, or pull it out of shape, or otherwise 
injure it. 

Many people profess themselves unable to do 
this with a knife, as they say that the pressure 
of the blade upon the stitch calls for such a 
vigorous jerk of the cloth, that the texture is 
injured. And they, on this account, prefer a 
good, sharp pair of pointed scissors. 

However this may be, do the work slov/ly and 
conscientiously, and when the pieces are all sep- 
arated take out the stitches carefully and lay 
the goods in a pile before you, ready for the 
next step. 

It is poor economy of time or labor to under- 
take to leave together any part of a badly soiled 
dress, or a dress that is to be entirely remodelled. 
The new sewing is sure to show, and when the 
dress is done there will be a sad contrast be- 



RIPPING. \) 

tween the old, half-worn seams, and those that 
are newly made. 

Rip the whole garment apart, and then, when 
all is done, get ready for the next step, which 
must be partly determined upon by yourself. 

In some cases the goods are so badly soiled 
that nothing can remove the spots. They have 
affected the material, and stained the fibre, so 
that nothing will take them out, and in this case 
there is nothing to be done but to dye the goods ; 
and it occasionally happens that even when 
goods are not soiled at all the owner prefers to 
have them dyed, because she has become tired 
of the old color. 

The dyeing is never as desirable as the simple 
washing of the goods, because dye-stuffs are 
bound, from their very nature, to injure the 
cloth more or less ; and, moreover, in the hands 
of the home worker the dyed garment is apt to 
look "streaky," and is pretty sure to lose some 
of its beauty in going through the coloring proc- 
ess. 

In the majority of cases, simply v/ashing the 
goods is all that is necessary after the removal 
of such spots as can be taken out by careful 
m.anipulation. 



10 



Chapter III. 

WASHING GOODS. 

It is really surprising how satisfactory it is to 
wash colored materials if the washing is done 
properly. Very often such goods will come out 
of the tub as bright and pretty as they were 
when new, and their appearance is a surprise and 
a delight to her who has somewhat doubtfully 
undertaken the task. 

Of course the work must be done intelligently 
or the result will be a disagreeable bungle, and 
it must be done according to some rule or the 
result will not be that which is hoped for. 

There are those housewives who permit the 
element of luck to enter into all their household 
tasks. It is a common thing to hear the expres- 
sion, " I had bad luck with my bread this week." 
" I had no luck at all with the cake to-day." 

Now it is the same with washing goods. 
Frequently a woman will wash some material 
and have it turn out well, while the next time 
she tries it the result will be very unsatisfactory. 
The reason is found in the fact that she had no 
particular rule with the work at either time, and 
that the first time she tried it she was lucky 



WASHING GOODS. 11 

enough to do it right. The second time she 
was unlucky, and did not hit upon the right con- 
ditions, therefore the result was bad. 

By having regular rules and set directions this 
element of luck can be entirely removed, and 
one need run no risk of spoiling things by hap- 
hazard work. 

There are a few cheap colored prints that will 
not wash, but these are the exception. Many very 
common goods wash perfectly, and delicate 
goods, if properly treated, are almost sure to go 
through the soap-and-water process and come 
nut just as good as they were originally. 

Even in cases where goods do not " wash," 
properly speaking, they may yet be treated in 
such a way that they will fade evenly, and thus, 
while the color of the material is altered, it is 
altered so nicely that one does not suspect that 
the goods have faded. The color is different — 
that is all. 

Different materials require different kind of 
treatment. Silks, merinos, woollen goods, and 
flannel, all require a slightly different method of 
washing in order to come out in the best possible 
way. The best general rule for washing colored 
dresses is this one : 

Take a quantity of soft water and put enough 
soap into it to make a thick, strong lather. Add 



12 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

a tablespoonful of ox-gall. Now put in the 
goods and wash it well — principally by squeez- 
ing with the hands. Vigorous rubbing draws 
the pieces out of shape, and it is better to stir 
them round in the water, giving the suds a 
chance to run through and take out the dirt. 

Before beginning operations, prepare a large 
panful of very weak starch slightly tinged with 
bluing ; mix a small quantity of gum-arabic 
water, perhaps a tablespoonful, with the starch. 
As soon as the dress is taken from the tub run it 
rapidly through the starch water, squeeze well, 
open it and hang it up quickly to dry in the 
shade. 

The whole operation should be done as rapid- 
ly as possible. If the goods are allowed to re- 
main for a long time in the water, if they are a 
long while in getting out of the starch, or if they 
are permitted to dry slowly, they are almost sure 
to be streaked and to show the effect of clumsy 
washing. The quicker it is done the better. 

As soon as the material is dry, iron it without 
sprinkling. The ironing should be done with as 
cool an iron as will serve to take out the creases, 
and care should be taken to iron all the different 
pieces upon the same side of the goods, if there 
is a difference in the two sides. Pressure of the 
iron is sure to alter the appearance of the ma- 



WASHING GOODS. 13 

terial, often leaving a shine, and in all cases 
leaving it flatter and smoother than on the other 
side. 

Ironing over a paper or a damp flannel is not 
as satisfactory, because the goods seldom become 
as smooth in this way. Great care should be 
taken not to pull the cloth in the ironing or to 
permit the point of the iron to make the goods 
"bulge" in any particular place. The best 
pressing irons are round-pointed ones, but very 
few women possess these, and with the lack of 
them, one can only exercise unusual precautions. 

Washing flannel, lady's cloth, cheviot, etc., is 
an art in itself, and in these days when many of 
the prettiest dresses are of this material, it is 
important to know how to wash them without 
shrinking or making the goods hard. 

According to the best experience, flannel 
should be washed in water just as hot as the 
hand will bear. In each gallon of the hot water 
there should be put a tablespoonful of the 
strongest ammonia, and also enough soap-suds 
to make a good lather. White soap is best for 
washing flannels, although any good pure soap 
will do. The flannel is then put in the water, 
and is quickly squeezed out again. It is put in 
another water and squeezed out again, and in 
another and squeezed yet again. Each water 



14 OW TO MAKE OVKR OLD DRESSES. 

must be entirely clean and prepared in ihe way 
described. 

This is really a great deal of trouble, but with 
a nice dress it is worth the extra work, because 
it so well repays the care taken. The fourth 
water into which the flannel is put should be 
clear and without ammonia, and after the flannel 
is well squeezed out of this water it should be 
hung quickly in the air to dry. If the weather 
is cool enough to freeze the flannel do not be 
alarmed, because freezing does not particularly 
hurt this material. 

Colored flannel will sometimes fade when 
treated with ammonia, and it is well to try a 
small piece of it in the water before venturing 
all. In case it is found to fade, take clear water 
and put into it a mixture made by stirring two 
tablespoonfuls of flour into a quart of cold water. 
Let it boil. Soap-suds are then added, and the 
flannel is washed as previously described. 

Never rinse flannel in cold rinsing water, as it 
is sure to harden the material. 

When the flannel is drying, shake, stretch, and 
turn it several times. It should dry very slowly. 

In washing silk, it is well to mix strained 
honey with soft soap in the proportion of six 
ounces of the honey to four ounces of soap. Add 
this to a pint of alcohol. The dress should be 



WASHING GOODS, 15 

entirely taken apart, as previously described, and 
then each piece must be spread flat on a table 
and covered with the honey mixture, first on one 
side and then on the other. A clothes-brush 
may be used for this, but the silk should be 
brushed very little and always straight up and 
down the silk. The silk should then be dipped 
into three diffeient tepid waters and taken out 
without wringing. In the last water a little 
honey should be mixed. The silk should then 
be hung up to dry and ironed on the wrong side 
with a cool iron. It is important to wait until 
the silk is half dry or it will be stiff. In washing 
black silk the mixture should have enough boil- 
ing water added to it to make it warm. Spread 
out the silk on the table, and dipping a sponge 
in the water rub the material on both sides. 
Squeeze it well. Add more hot water to the 
cold so as to make it hot again. Rinse the silk 
in clean cold water and keep repeating the oper- 
ation until the last water is perfectly clear after 
the silk is taken out. 

To make it appear like new silk, dissolve a 
little glue in boiling water and mix it with 
enough cold water to be comfortable to the hand, 
and sponge the dress with it. When ironing be 
careful that the iron is not too hot. 

A black woolen dress may be vv'ashed by put- 



IG HOW TO MAKE OVEU OLD DKESiSES. 

ting it in a big panful of cool soft water. Let it 
lie all night, and in the morning rinse it out, 
shaking it up and down in clean water. Hang 
it up, and when it is merely damp iron it. Do 
not dampen it, as it is apt to spot it. This ap- 
plies only to black dresses, not colored, as 
colored dresses are sure to turn out badly if left 
wet. 

In following these directions it is well to ex- 
periment with a small piece of the goods. 

It will frequently happen that there is some 
substance in the make-up of the material that is 
unknown to the buyer and to the one who gives 
directions for washing the goods. And it will 
make such a difference in the result that the ap- 
pearance will be entirely unsatisfactory. It is 
on this account that no exact rule can be laid 
down ; but with the aid of the foregoing simple 
directions a clever housewife can make rules for 
herself, if she finds that those which have been 
laid down are not sufficiently accurate to meet 
her demands. 



17 



Chapter IV. 

TAKING OUT SPOTS. 

One of the most difficult things in renovating 
a dress is to remove the spots and stains without 
leaving a place to show that such work has been 
done. 

Very often the spot that has been cleaned will 
be so much brighter and newer of appearance 
than the rest of the goods, that it puts the old 
material to shame, so to speak, and thus the 
whole has to be renovated. 

In other cases where the stains are deep, the 
acids required to remove them are so powerful 
that they ruin the material of the goods and 
cause it to tear before its time. 

It is better, if possible, to throw away every 
badly spotted piece of goods on this account ; but 
where the stain is a slight one, or where it extends 
over a large portion of the goods, it may be suc- 
cessfully removed if the work is done intelligent- 
ly and carefully. 

To remove tar from cloth a liberal application 
of turpentine is often effective. Turpentine will 
sometimes also remove paint. 

Tea stains and mildew may be taken out b}^ 
mixing two tablespoonfuls of chloride of lime in 



18 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

a pail of warm water. The goods should be 
soaked in the solution for half an hour and then 
thoroughly rinsed in water and dried. 

Iron rust is a difficult thing to remove, and 
yet if the stains are covered with salt and then 
thoroughly saturated with lime or lemon juice 
and afterward placed in hot water, the rust will 
often come out. This can only be done with 
white goods, as colored goods would fade in the 
process. 

Turpentine, or a mixture of equal parts of 
ammonia and turpentine, will take out machine 
oil, provided the goods can stand the ammonia. 
As previously recommended it is well to experi- 
ment with a small piece of the goods before 
applying anything well known as an acid. 

In using turpentine or any inflammable sub- 
stance, great care should be taken not to allow it 
to ignite. If the air becomes filled with the odor 
of the turpentine do not illumine the room until 
the turpentine has been allowed to escape 
through an open window. 

To take out grease-spots from silk, a mixture 
of two ounces of spirits of wine, one ounce of 
French chalk, and five ounces of pipe-clay rolled 
into a paste will often prove effective. This is 
really what is sold in the stores in sticks for re- 
moving grease-spots from silk. 



TAKING OUT SPOTS. 19 

When the mixture has hardened sHghtly, 
moisten it and rub it on the grease-spot and then 
brush it off. If the grease has not been absorbed, 
try again and brush off again. 

Stains caused by acid are the most difficult of 
all to remove. Fruit stains, such as lemon stains, 
strawberry stains, and — most difficult of all — 
peach stains, may be removed by wetting the 
stained part and covering it with salt of worm- 
wood. It should then be rubbed well without 
adding any more water. 

If salt of w^ormwood is not obtainable, another 
method of removing the stain is to dampen the 
spot slightly and hold over a lighted match at a 
safe distance, so as not to burn the goods. 

Still another way is to tie up in the stained 
parts some barley ash, and then making a soft 
lather of soap boil the linen in it, if the goods 
be white, until the stains disappear. With 
colored goods soap may be rubbed on the outside 
and water poured through the spot. 

The clever housewife must decide for her- 
self which is the best to be used in each in- 
dividual case, and she should also carefully note 
whether the goods which she is using are all silk 
texture, or half w^ool, or cotton and wool, as the 
quality makes a great difference. 



20 



Chapter V. 

DYEING. 

Dyeing goods is a simple thing in the city, 
where one can send out to a store and get five or 
ten cents' worth of good standard dye. 

In the country it is not so simple a thing, be- 
cause there is more or less delay in sending for 
the dye-stuff, and then one is not perfectly sure 
of the shade which has been obtained. 

Whenever possible, get a circular containing all 
the different colors which are sold for coloring 
dress goods to any desired shade, and then when 
the selection has been made, send for the color, 
and use it exactly according to the printed 
directions which come with it. 

Any of the well-advertised standard dyes may 
be regarded as reliable, and it is really worth 
while for the home dressmaker who wants to 
achieve good results to wait until she can send 
to a good, reliable dealer before beginning her 
work. 

In dyeing goods the same direction that v.^as 
given in washing may hold good. Do not allow 
the material to remain long wet. It is sure to be 
streaked and come out badly. Put the g-oods in 



DYEING. 21 

the dye, piece by piece, and squeeze them (with- 
out wringing). Just as soon as they are taken 
out, shake each piece, giving it a quick snap, and 
then instead of hanging over a line fasten it to 
the line by clean clothes-pins, or, better still, pin 
it up to another piece of^goods. 

Before anything is put in the dye be sure that 
there is no sediment, and that the color is clear, 
to the bottom of the caldron. 

A copper kettle will not do for a dye kettle. 
An iron pot of large size and perfectly clean 
should be used for the purpose, and might be 
kept from year to year as the dye kettle of the 
family. 

Among home-made dyes that are perfectly re- 
liable may be mentioned the old dye which was 
used by our grandmothers — the beautiful yellow 
golden-rod. 

To obtain this, gather golden-rod when it is 
perfectly ripe and is at its deepest yellow. Fill 
a kettle nearly full of the flowers and then cover 
with water. Let it boil, and in about an hour 
strain out the golden-rod flowers, leaving the 
deep yellow dye-stuff. 

Light gray, pale lavender, a very delicate shade 
of blue, a few shades of light green and pale pink 
materials will take this dye nicely, although none 
are as successful in it as white and gray. The 



22 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

goods should be boiled in the golden-rod dye, 
and then squeezed out and carefully hung up to 
dry. 

Another color is found in the common family 
bluing. To obtain a deep beautiful navy blue 
make a strong solution of indigo water. Then 
dip the goods in it as if for a regular family wash. 
By following the regular washing directions care- 
fully there should be no danger of having the 
goods streaked, and the result will be entirely 
satisfactory. Repeated dippings will deepen the 
color of the blue. 

Very strong coffee is used to color white goods 
and lace to a rich yellow. The process of doing 
this is so well known that it need not be de- 
scribed. It is sufficient to say that the goods 
should be dipped in the coffee solution three or 
four times to deepen the color, and to relieve the 
suggestion of the dirty yellow that one some- 
times notices in coffee-stained goods, and which 
gives one the idea of dirt rather than color. 

It is hardly safe to say that any of the home- 
made dyes will stand the v/eather well. They 
are apt to fade in the sun, and they frequently 
are so unfortunate as to go back to their original 
colors when exposed to dampness and dew. 

Rain will sometimes cause them to "run" and 
produce the most melancholy effect, and it is 



DYEING. 23 

indeed seldom that home-made dyes will stand 
anything but clear cold weather. 

For house dresses, evening dresses that are to 
be carefully cared for, and "dresses that are to do 
duty only half a dozen times, the home-made 
dyes answer very well, but they cannot be recom- 
mended for their wearing qualities in the long 
run. They lack the essentials which set the 
color, and it is on that account that the home 
dressmaker should consider very carefully be-. 
fore she intrusts her precious material to dyes of 
her own making. 

Cochineal will produce red in all its various 
shades, according to the amount added to the 
water. Saffron will give all the shades of yellow, 
to the deep old gold. Combinations of indigo 
and saffron will produce green. Combinations of 
cochineal and indigo will give purple. But it is 
seldom that home talent can produce proper re- 
sults with these tricky dyes. Therefore, by all 
means, obtain the regular " boughten" article if 
there is any dyeing to be done. 



24: 



Chapter VI. 

HOW MUCH MATERIAL, 

Now that the dress is either cleaned or dyed, 
as may be desired, the next thing to decide is 
what is to be done with the material that is on 
hand. It is seldom a good plan to combine new 
material with old. The old material will wear 
out when the new is yet in its prime, and the 
dress is thus rendered worthless before it has 
half repaid the time and trouble expended upon 
it. 

So, then, take what material you have on hand 
and put your ingenuity at work to devise the 
best use that can be made of it. 

It is not possible to lay down any strict rules 
for making a dress unless one knows how much 
material there is in the house that can be used. 

By way of a few general directions it may be 
stated that for a woman of medium height there 
is required about seventeen yards of twenty-two 
inch goods. This will make a dress in the pres- 
ent style of straight skirt, full sleeves, and rather 
fancy bodice. 

Of course the goods in this case are not all in 
one piece, and one must, therefore, in looking over 



now MUCH MATERIAL. 25 

the material, take notice how the different parts 
of the dress are to be cut. Lay aside the pieces 
for the uppers of the sleeves, front and back of 
the waist, and the skirt. The rest may be de- 
pended upon to come out of the pieces that are 
left. 

By this calculation one can get some idea of 
the amount of material that is on hand. Eleven 
yards of twenty-seven inch goods will make a 
very good-sized pattern for a person of medium 
height, or eight yards of thirty-six inch goods. 
Six yards of forty-eight inch goods, or five yards 
of fifty-four inch goods, may be also regarded as 
quite sufficient. 

This allows in each case an ample pattern, and 
the extra quantity is mentioned because the 
goods go to waste, so to speak, since they are 
not all of one piece. " Tacking" them together 
and measuring them regularly by the yard will 
perhaps give one an idea whether there is suffi- 
cient of the goods to make a dress all of the same 
material. 

If there is not enough, something else might 
be selected from the home stock to combine with 
the dress. 

For the foundation skirt, if a foundation is 
used, or otherwise for a skirt lining, there will be 
required about four yards of alpaca a yard wide. 



26 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSE9. 

If cambric is used five yards is needed, and if 
there is such a thing as lining silk in the house 
six yards will be required. 

This gives some idea of the quantity of goods 
— not an accurate idea by any means — but it is 
at least a hint. 



27 



Chapter VII. 

GET A GOOD PATTERN. 

Suppose you are so situated that you can send 
out and buy a paper pattern of a good, reliable 
pattern store. 

This is very nice, but if you have had any experi- 
ence in buying paper patterns, you have noticed 
that sometimes they fit imperfectly. In measur- 
ing for a paper pattern, the size of the waist, the 
bust measure, the length of the arm — and possi- 
bly the collar — is all that is ever taken, except in 
exceptionally good patterns. Frequently only 
the bust measure is called for. This leaves a 
wide latitude for misfits. The waist may be too 
long or too short, the sleeves too tight or too 
loose, the armholes may go entirely astray, and 
the fit of the back is sometimes so faulty that 
the back pieces must be cut over again. 

It is better to have a good pattern of your 
own that you can depend upon — one that you 
have made yourself. 

To obtain one take an old waist, the best fit- 
ting one that you have, even if it be a calico 
house dress. Make alterations in it until it fits 
perfectly, without a flaw. Now rip the waist 



28 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

carefully apart, and cut a paper pattern from it, 
observing each little turn. Cut the pattern 
about a quarter of an inch larger than the dress 
should be, when completed, so that when the 
goods are cut after the pattern, there is an al- 
lowance made for a quarter of an inch seam. 
If a larger seam is desired it may be left, but the 
dressmaker should always understand perfectly 
how large a seam has been provided for. 

There is no way of getting a good pattern 
that is quite equal to this. 



2Q 
Chapter VIII. 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR DRESS. 

Suppose you have measured up your material, 
and you find you have enough goods to make a 
plain, pretty gown. Now the next question is 
to decide upon the style. 

The present fashion — and it is a style that 
bids fair to continue for a couple of seasons, at 
least — is in favor of the plain skirt and the some- 
what complicated bodice. 

The fashionable skirt is of walking length in 
front, and with a very short train at the back. 
For a person who wears a skirt forty inches long, 
the back of the dress should be made forty-five 
inches. 

With proper stiffening in the skirt this does 
not permit the dress to drag, but merely sets it 
out, giving the right kind of fulness and bustle 
effect. 

Take the best four breadths of the material 
and sew them together for a back. In sloping 
the bottom of the skirt, make the back round, 
or oval, and see that it just touches the floor at 
the sides. No steels are used in the back of the 
skirt, but in place of them tie strings are placed 



30 HOW TO MAK?: OVER OLD DRESSES. 

at intervals all the way from the top to the bot- 
tom of the skirt, and are tied back, holding the 
skirt in place. 

With a plain back, a draped front is permis- 
sible, if there is not sufficient material to make 
a plain, round front, as is the fashion. 

The prettiest way of making the front of the 
skirt is to make it perfectly plain, with the mid- 
dle fold of the front breadth directly in front, 
and the two side breadths falling perfectly 
straight on each side of the front. The top of 
the skirt is fitted as neatly over the hips as if it 
were a basque, and the only gores that are found 
in the skirt are where the side breadths join the 
back. 

All this requires a greater quantity of material 
— all of one piece — than the home dressmaker 
usually has on hand when she undertakes to re- 
model an old dress, and in place of the long, 
plain, pretty skirt, she must devise some draped 
effect, which will conceal any piecing that she 
may wish to do. 

The old-fashioned apron front is very pretty 
over the plain back, but in place of lifting up 
the apron high on each side, as used to be the 
style, sew the sides of it into the side-seams, giv- 
ing the effect of big side-plaits across the front 
of the skirt. 



HOW TO MAKE YOUR DRESS. 31 

Another way of trimming the skirt is to put a 
very deep ruffle around the bottom of it. The 
ruffle may be of some contrasting material that 
may be in the house, thus saving the goods 
upon which one is working. With a skirt which 
is forty inches long a ruffle or flounce eighteen 
inches deep is permissible upon the front and 
side breadths, so that it is only really necessary 
to provide enough of the dress material to ex- 
tend down to the raffle, after which any material 
at all may be used to piece out the skirt under 
it. 

Ruffling may be greatly pieced without show- 
ing, and almost any pieces will do for the purpose. 
Goods slightly stained, if judiciously turned into 
a flounce look very well, and a deep flounce will 
also come to the rescue when material is too 
scarce to make a plain, untrimmed effect. 

The waist must have full sleeves, and for this 
there is a large piece required for the uppers. 
If the sleeves are very large and full, it is calcu- 
lated that about three yards of medium width 
goods will be required, but it is seldom that 
three yards of goods can actually be spared 
vv^hen a dress is being made over ; and, there- 
fore, one must study carefully the chapter on 
sleeves. 



32 



Chapter IX. 

FITTING A DRESS. 

To make a dress fit perfectly is as much an 
art as to color a picture properly, or draw a 
figure in its true lines. 

The dressmaker who has been trained to her 
work will notice defects at once, and will remedy 
them by a few deft touches. But the home 
worker, while she may see the defects just as 
quickly, is often in ignorance how to proceed to 
remedy them. 

A few practical suggestions may be of assist- 
ance to those who have the difficult task of fit- 
ting a waist, and may possibly serve as a suffi- 
cient guide to make the gown appear just as it 
should be. 

Fu-st. Be sure that the back is narrow enough 
across the shoulders. If it is too broad, there 
will be wrinkles on the shoulder seams, under 
the arms, and in the collar. It should be so 
narrow that it lies perfectly flat upon the back, 
without the slightest wrinkle. When tried on, 
before the sleeves are put in, the back will ap- 
pear ridiculously narrow if it is properly cut. 



FITTING A DRESS. 33 

But do not despair, for the sleeves, when put in, 
will supply the requisite breadth. 

Second. To fit the bust it is almost necessary 
that the figure be padded to secure the firm lines 
which are necessary when the waist is moulded 
to the figure. The padding may afterward be 
left out, and the waist will then fit snugly. The 
reason that so many dresses draw across the 
bust is because in the fitting the home dress- 
maker shapes the darts as closely to the figure 
as possible, and then, in sewing them in, she 
gets them snug, when they should be merely 
easy. 

Third. Do not make the shoulder seams too 
long. A woman of average height should have 
her shoulder seams not over four inches in 
length, and often a pretty effect is produced 
with even less. 

Fourth. Be sure that the gown is narrow 
across the back of the waist. A looseness here 
is what causes the disagreeable "riding up," too 
often found in home-made dresses. 

Fifth. Shape the sleeve to the arm, even after 
the pattern has been tested, until you think it is 
perfection. Baste the sleeve in the armhole, 
and then be sure that the elbow comes in the 
right place in the gathers that have been pro- 
vided for it. 



34 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

Full sleeves are the rule, and the amount of 
fulness varies according to individual taste. A 
very good puffed sleeve is made by allowing 
four inches of extra fulness to be gathered in, 
evenly and regularly, on the shoulders. When 
the sleeves are left perfectly straight and plain, 
in coat-sleeve fashion, the sleeve should be one 
inch larger than the armhole, in order to give 
proper freedom to the arm. 

Sixth. Be careful that the neck is cut out 
sufficiently, and that the collar does not draw 
on the back of the neck. 

Cut the back of the neck out into a curve, and 
then fit the collar to it. The curve in the back 
of the neck should be, perhaps, a quarter of an 
inch in depth. If this curve is not made there 
will be a wrinkle in the back of the waist, just 
below where the collar is sewed on. The ex- 
pression "too long-waisted from the shoulder 
up," means only that the neck has not been cut 
out sufficiently in the back to give a smooth -set- 
ting collar. 

Seve7tth. Shape the hips as carefully as you 
have shaped the bust. Do not depend upon 
bones or steels to hold the basque in place. It 
should set so smoothly that these are not neces- 
sary, although it is best to use them. 

Eighth. Do not button your dress straight 



FITTING A DRESS. 35 

down the front, in the disagreeable, old fashioned 
way. It was formerly the custom to cut out the 
fronts of the dress, along the selvage of the 
cloth, merely turning under a proper amount for 
the fold. A much better way is to curve the 
goods out slightly, to give a good bust shape, 
instead of depending upon the darts to do it all. 
And then also slant the goods from the waist 
to the bottom of the basque. By doing this the 
waist does not draw over the stomach, and the 
point of the basque will not stand out in the 
way so familiar to home dressmakers. 

When the waist has been fitted, mould the 
skirt as carefully around the hips as you have 
moulded the waist. Take darts at the hips, if 
necessary, and make the material fit along the 
front and sides with perfect smoothness. 



36 



Chapter X, 

WAISTS. 

Full waists are extremely fashionable, and, in 
making over a dress, it is often necessary to use 
them, for the reason that there is not enough of 
the material to make a nice plain waist. 

The full waist is nearly always made up over 
a tight-fitting lining, therefore the directions for 
fitting a plain waist hold good in this case. The 
lining should be cut to extend below the belt- 
line, although the full waist usually has the skirt 
coming up over it. 

To get the desired fulness in the front of a full 
waist, fit the lining perfectly, and then pin the 
dress goods at the neck and waist-line, both 
front and back, allowing the right fulness, and 
tacking each little fold in place until it is well- 
nigh perfection. 

When shirrings are put in they should be about 
an inch apart. 

The front fulness may be left all in one piece, 
if desired, and secured to the front of the waist 
by hooks and eyes upon the shoulder and under- 
arm seams. This gives the pretty all-one piece 
effect so much desired nov/. 



37 



Chapter XL 

TRIMMINGS. 

Lace is one of the most popular trimmings of 
the season. And it not infrequently happens 
that, among the housewife's treasures, there is a 
quantity of old lace which may be brought out 
to be used when wanted. 

Never mind whether the lace be black or 
white. Both kinds are fashionable, and it may 
be laid down as a rule that every kind of mate- 
rial is trimmed with lace. 

Woollen dresses, poplin, merino, and light 
goods, such as batiste, challie, and foulard, all 
come in for as much of this kind of trimming a-, 
the wearer may care to put upon it. 

Suppose there is in the house a quantity of old 
black or old white lace. Wash it carefully if it 
is white, and if it is black, sponge it with ammo- 
nia until a good color is produced, and then if 
the lace is more than four inches in width, gather 
it around the bottom of the skirt in as full a 
ruffle as possible. 

To make it still prettier, gather it up in lit', \e 
festoons at intervals of six or eight inches apt.^t, 
and fasten the festoons with little bunches of 
ribbon having many loops and ends. 



38 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

If the lace is too narrow for this, edge a flounce 
with it and lay the flounce in very narrow side- 
plaits, pressing the plaits so carefully in place 
that they will not be apt to come out in the 
dampness. Sew this upon the bottom of the 
dress, leaving a heading about an inch deep. No 
other finish is required. 

If it has been necessary to patch the front of 
the waist, a lace jabot may be used to cover the 
defect. 

Or, if the lace is not at hand, a large cravat-bow 
made of the dress material may be fastened on 
at the neck, the bow to be large enough almost 
to cover the front of the waist. 

Ribbon, mixed with the material of the dress, 
may be arranged in the form of a jabot, with loops 
and bows in it, and may extend all the way down 
to the waist-line. 

It is not advisable to trim the skirt any more 
than is absolutely necessary, as the style is for 
skirts which are as plain as possible. In all 
cases the skirt should be narrow in front and 
what fulness there is should be in the back. 

Old-fashioned jet ornaments are again very 
fashionable. A narrow band of jet passemen- 
terie may be used as a heading to a collar, and 
may also trim the edge of the sleeves. 

Jet ornaments of almost any kind are pretty 



TRIMMINGS. 39 

sewed upon the tops of the sleeves in epaulette 
fashion, and jets are also used at the back of the 
waist in place of buttons. 

A panel upon the skirt may be fancifully 
trimmed with jets if one has enough of them, or 
the trimming may be left off — either way will be 
in style. 



40 



Chapter XII. 

A CHAPTER ON SLEEVES. 

To fit a sleeve, pin the sleeve over the top of 
the armhole in what seems the right place. Ex- 
tend the arm, then bend it forward. If the 
sleeve wrinkles across the top, it is probably not 
high enough over the rounding part. In this 
case — for of course you are fitting the pattern 
first — cut out another pattern, making the round- 
ing part larger. 

Or, if you have actually cut the dress material, 
draw up the sleeve sufficiently to make the top 
as round and as full as is necessary. It will have 
to be cut out under the arm to allow for this ex- 
tra fulness on top. 

If the sleeve is too loose, correct it in the out- 
side seam until the desired snugness is secured. 

Should the inside seam turn up over the arm, 
rip the sleeve out of the armhole, and turn it a 
little, so as to throw the inside seam a little 
lower under the arm. 

The principal cause of a bad-fitting sleeve is 
that few dressmakers cut out the sleeve enough 
at the place where it fits into the bust. It should 
be hollowed out to fit the curve in the armhole. 



41 



Chapter XIII. 

MAKING THE COLLAR. 

The collar should be cut bias of the material, 
no matter what the material may be. 

When finished, it should be of the same length 
as the neck of the dress, and from two to nine 
inches deep, according to the collar that is de- 
sired. 

The nine-inch collar is the well-known Medici, 
but the home dressmaker should not attempt it, 
unless she is very proficient in her art. It must 
be so carefully fitted to the back of the dress 
that it curves outward and upward from the 
neck, forming a sort of hollow into which the 
back of the head really rests. 

The straight standing collar is always in good 
taste, and holds its own against all rival fashions. 
This collar should be lined with two thicknesses 
of linen or stiff crinoline, and faced with silk or 
satin. 

The neck should be bound before the collar is 
sewed on. The collar is then finished on the 
lower edge and is blind-stitched to the dress be- 
low the binding. That is the smoothest way of 
doing it. 



42 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

It may, however, be sewed on the dress by at- 
taching it to the neck in the regular way, and 
hemming down the other side of the collar to 
the inside of the dress. A rolling collar is cut 
straight of the goods, folded so that the fold 
makes the outside edge of the collar. The edge 
next to the dress is, of course, hollowed in the 
middle as if it were a standing collar. 

It is fashionable to use plaitings of mull, India 
silk, and lisse instead of collars. Or a standing 
frill of the material of the goods doubled makes 
a pretty finish. 



43 



Chapter XIV. 

COMBINING TWO OLD DRESSES. 

When two dresses are so very badly worn out 
that they cannot be made over individually, they 
may often be combined if the colors harmonize 
well. 

Black goes well with any color ; and red also 
has the faculty of combining with almost any- 
thing. Navy blue looks well with white and with 
deep shades of yellow. Green goes excellently 
with gray ; in short, there are comparatively few 
shades which will not go well together if judi- 
ciously combined. 

Select the better waist of the two — supposing 
you have two old dresses upon which to work — 
and clean it and patch it until it is nearly whole. 
If the sleeves are worn out, put in sleeves taken 
from some part of the skirt^ and also a new 
collar. 

Now, taking the other old dress which is to be 
combined with this one, make a small Zouave 
jacket or Spencer waist to slip on over the 
mended waist, to hide defects in buttonholes and 
the soiled spots. Let the Spencer waist be 
buttoned down the front to a point just under 



44 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

the bust, and then curve it away nicely under the 
arms and across the back, finishing the edge 
with a narrow braiding of black. 

Take enough of the material of which the 
Spencer waist is made to form the front and sides 
of the skirt, and, for the back, use the same 
material as the real waist of the dress. 

Put a contrasting flounce around the front and 
sides, and you have a dress made of two old ones, 
and one that is really pretty. 

If you wish to do so, you can, of course, com- 
bine two dresses in the old-fashioned way by 
putting in sleeves of one kind in the w^aist of the 
other, and a collar to match, and an apron over- 
skirt to match the sleeves, collar, and cuffs. 

This is really only a matter of taste, but the 
former style will be found prettier to nearly ail 
minds. 



45 



Chapter XV. 
LETTING DOWN DRESSES. 

Every girl who is in the growing-up state is 
familiar with the disagreeable dress skirt which 
has been let down at the band, and which shows 
plainly where the former gathers were put in and 
where the former band was sewed on. 

A dress which is let down in this w^ay never 
hangs well and never looks pretty, no matter how 
much trimming may be put on to hide the letting- 
down place. 

Now, if there are growing girls in the family, 
and if they require lengthened skirts, try this way 
of letting down and see if you do not like it 
better. 

Take enough of the material of the dress to 
make a strip of the required width. Sew it on to 
the bottom of the skirt just as neatly as possible, 
press the seam open, and finish the bottom of the 
dress as before. If neatly done the seam will 
never be noticed. 

But, supposing you have not enough material 
to do this. Then try this way : 

Take a band of stiff muslin or of goods of any 
kind, and piece down the dress at the bottom. 



46 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

Then cover this muslin band with a band of 
something that answers for trimming. Plaid 
goods is excellent for this. Velvet or silk also 
answers the purpose nicely. Even plain cloth, 
if of a pretty, contrasting color, looks well, and 
m.ay be repeated in the collar and cuffs. 



47 



Chapter XVI. 

WORN-OUT DRESSES. 

When a dress is actually worn out — too worn 
out to be made over, and not worth the work of 
combining with another dress — there are still 
ways of lengthening the life of the poor old 
worn-out gown, and of making it do duty as a 
second best afternoon dress. 

Take the prettiest worsted you can get, 
whether of Saxony, Berlin wool, or Zephyr, and 
crochet a pretty sleeveless jacket. Finish it off 
at the armholes and neck with a neat little scal- 
lop, and round it to fit the waist nicely all the 
way around. 

Supply it with buttons— the prettiest you have 
in the house — and put it on over the worn-out 
dress, to cover the bad places in the front and 
back. If a jacket of this kind makes the dress 
too warm, here is another way of hiding worn- 
out places: 

Make as big a bow of ribbon as you can spare 
from the stock of ribbon you have on hand. 
Let the loops point upward, and the ends — of 
v/hich there need be only two — be very long. 
Fasten the bow on the back of the dress between 



•i8 HOW TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

the shoulders, and let the ribbon ends hang all 
the way down to the bottom of the dress. 

For the front of the waist, make a big fichu of 
silk or lace or cloth. Let it be so large that it 
is fastened at the neck and at the shoulder 
seams with little fancy pins. Bring down the 
fichu to the belt, and finish it off with a bow or 
two. 

This helps out a bad waist wonderfully. 



49 



Chapter XVII, 

TAKING CARE OF DRESSES. 

When your dress is done, treat it more care- 
fully than if it were a new one. Its age entitles 
it to careful consideration. 

If you have not a very large, roomy wardrobe, 
make a big bag for your dress out of any kind 
of cotton goods or old calico. Take a barrel 
hoop and fasten strings to it so that it can be 
hung up. Hang your skirt upon it, and then 
gather the bag over all. Do not turn the skirt 
wrong side out. 

If the dress is white or yellow, you can pre- 
vent its discoloring by putting a cake of white 
wax in the bag. 

A small piece of camphor gum will keep steel 
trimmings from becoming tarnished. 

When the dress is hung up " stuff" tissue paper 
in the bows of ribbon to keep them outright, and 
be sure that all the folds hang as you wish them 
to hang when the dress is on. 

Smooth out the sleeves each time they are 
worn, and be sure that you never hang the dress 
up by the collar or the armhole. It should be 
hung by a loop attached to the belt-line. 



50 



Chapter XVIII. 

CLEVER WAYS OF DOING 
THINGS. 

If you have a round waist and do not own a 
belt to wear with it, you can do away with the 
belt by sewing a pretty piece of passementerie 
upon your skirt-band. Button the skirt over the 
waist, and you are nicely dressed. 

In the absence of passementerie, a ruffle of the 
dress goods may be put around the skirt-band, 
to serve in place of a belt. 

If your buttons do not all match each other, 
and you haven't a full set of any one kind, sew 
on a tiny ruffle of lace down the front of your 
dress, covering the buttons and buttonholes. 

Very serviceable dress shields may be made by 
using a very light, thin quality of gossamer — 
part of an old waterproof will do nicely. 

You can make a very good substitute for rib- 
bon by doubling silk and stitching it along each 
edge. 

Loops of thread, strengthened by twisting, 
will often take the place of *' eyes," if there are 
no eyes in the house. 

Thread your needle before breaking off the 



CLEVER WAYS OF DOING THINGS. 51 

thread. Your thread will never knot if you do 
this. 

It is a good thing to make two waists to each 
dress, if there is material enough. One waist 
may be cut a little low in the neck for dress-up 
occasions, and the other may be a street waist. 

An "adjustable" gown may be made by sew- 
ing strips of elastic underneath the front of what 
is known as a full waist. The elastic will hold 
the fronts snugly in place, and yet will stretch 
when required to do so. 



Chapter XIX. 

HINTS AND HELPS. 

If you are apt to prick the forefinger of the 
left hand when sewing, wear a rubber nipple 
upon it to keep it from becoming scarred. 

Buttons with only two holes in them set better 
upon a garment than those with more. 

In sewing on buttons, put a pin between the 
button and the goods. This allows sufficient 
space for the goods to be buttoned over after- 
ward. 

In gathering, use a single coarse thread rather 
than a double fine one. 

Keep cloves in your bureau drawers and dress 
boxes, to keep away moths. The cloves will 
also give an agreeable odor to the garments, and 
will keep away mustiness. 

When a garment begins to wear thin, put a 
piece of the material underneath the thin spot, 
and then run it on without letting the thread go 
through the goods. Darn it closely to the goods 
at intervals of half an inch. 

Have a long, narrow ironing-board for slipping 
in the sleeves of dresses when it is desirable to 
press them. 



53 



Chapter XX. 

WHEN THE DRESS IS DONE. 

When you have completed your dress, it may 
not be perfect in every respect, but if you have 
been careful, it will surely be very nice, and some- 
thing of which you may be very proud, because 
it represents much care and thought. 

Finish it well to the last loop, and sew in the 
dress shields. Take out the basting threads, be 
sure that the seams are finished, and that it is all 
in "apple-pie order." 

Don't point out to people any defects that may 
exist. 

Do not lift up the overskirt to show that the 
underskirt is pieced down with goods of a dif- 
ferent kind. 

Do not show that the under-arm pieces are 
faded. 

Do not tell anybody that the full front covers 
buttonholes that are torn out. 

Do not say that the beautiful bias band around 
the bottom of the skirt hides a ghastly muslin 
gap. 

Do not tell anybody that the dress was origi- 
nally bought before Jamie died, and that it has 



54 now TO MAKE OVER OLD DRESSES. 

been laid away three years while you were in 
mourning. 

Don't let the good-man of the family — who 
always takes your word for such things — believe 
that the dress is a poor, miserable makeshift, but 
tell him that it is a beauty, the best one you ever 
made, and the prettiest one he couid find, if he 
were to look over all the congregation next Sun- 
day at church. 

Put on the dress as carefully as though it were 
the costliest silk or satin. Fasten your prettiest 
pin at the neck. Bestow upon yourself all the 
loving little taps and pats which give the finish- 
ing touches to a woman's toilet. And then wear 
your dress proudly, feeling that you have achieved 
a triumph, in that you have made something out 
of nothing. 

THE END 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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